Circular knitting machine



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BLUE YARN BLUE YARN 889 RED YARN BLACK YARN BLACK YARN GREEN YARN (280 Iaweazioa' Jose- 273a llflzazlc, I (by fiM' /Z flifor zzeg United States Patent 2,872,795 IIR'CULAR KNITTING MACHINE Joseph Lionel Blais, New Ipswich, l H., assignor to 'llficnit Hosiery Mill, New Ipswich, N. IL, a partners 11:

Application May 29, 1953, Serial No. 358,480

18 Claims. (Cl. 66-40) The present invention relates to improvements in circular knitting machines, and more particularly to needle controlling and yarn feeding devices for producing plated fabrics utilizing dilferent colored surface plating yarns in accordance with any desired pattern.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a circular knitting machine having pattern control and needle actuating devices which will adapt the machine for the manufacture of my improved fabric described and claimed in my co-pending application for Letters Patent in the United States Patent Olnce, for improvements in Seamless Hosiery, Serial No. 292,656, filed June 10, 1952 and now abandoned.

One of the principal devices employed in circular independent needle knitting machines for the construction of color patterns consists in the provision of means for selectively moving the needles to take difierent yarns. The variety and quality of patterns obtained in this manner has, however, been restricted by the limitations in the number of steps and actuating cam combinations available for the control of the needle jacks. Specifically, the prior art does not provide means for readily controlling the needle operation which would be suitable for use in the construction of a complicated pattern knitted with face and backing yarns in plated relation to permit the ready substitution of one for another feeding yarn at any selected point in the needle series during the knitting of successive courses.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a novel means for selectively controlling the operation of the needles while knitting back and face yarns in plating relation to cause different selected face yarns to be fed to any selected needle of the series while knitting continues on the series in one direction, and thereby to produce a solid, even appearing surface of said face plating yarns in accordance with any desired pattern.

With the above and otherobjects in view as may hereinafter appear the several features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed which, together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a circular knitting machine which embodies in a preferred form the several features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation looking from the right of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation looking from the left of the machine shown in Fig. 1, but on a smaller scale;

Fig. 4 is a detail view in front elevation, partly in section, of the connections for moving the inactive stitch cam to an inoperative position during the rotary knitting of the argyle pattern;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine tshown in the 2,872,795 Patented Feb. 10, 1959 preceding views with portions of the sinker ring and associated parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of the cam plate with needle supports, illustrating certain operating cams including the jack raise cam and control devices therefor;

Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view in elevation taken on a line 7-7 of Fig. 6 to illustrate particularly the operating connections for the non-selected. needle jack raise cam;

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view of the cam plate and the associated needle jack selector cam assembly at a lower level; I

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view in elevation taken on a line 9--9 of Fig. 8 to illustrate particularly the operating connections for advancing and retracting the uppermost jack needle cam;

Fig. 10 is a detailed sectional view taken on a line 10-10 of Fig. 8 illustrating particularly the operating connections for moving the non-selected jack activating cam into and out of operative position;

Fig. 11 is a developed diagrammatic view of the needle cam assembly showing the selection of needles into alternative selected and non-selected groups, the needle jacks, the jack operating cams and the path taken by the selected and non-selected jacks;

Fig. 12 is a developed diagrammatic view of the jack selector cam control drum;

Fig. 13 is a developed diagrammatic view of the con trol drum for shifting the uppermost selector cam, rejector cam, and jack raise cam into and out of operative position;

Figs. 14 and 15 taken together illustrate in diagrammatic form the arrangement of butts for the several needle jacks required for the knitting of the argyle pattern specifically illustrated in Fig. 16; and

Fig. 16 is a view showing one-half of the argyle leg pattern produced by a machine having the arrangement of the needle jack butts shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the arrangement of cam segments for the jack control pattern drum shown in Fig. 12, and the arrangement of cam segments for the cam control drum in Fig. 13.

The machine, hereinafter disclosed as embodying in a preferred form the several features of the invention, is a -needle circular knitting machine 'of the general type shown, for example, in the patent to Green et al. No. 2,260,020 and comprises generally a rotary needle cylinder, supported to turn on a vertical axis and slotted to receive needles 22 and needle jacks 24 (see Fig. 11), the needles being provided half with short and half with long butts, a short needle butt being shown at 26 at the right side of Fig. 11. Referring to Fig. l a needle support 20 is shown mounted on the usual cam plate externally of the needle cylinder which is not specifically illustrated. The jacks are formed, some with long master butts 28, some with shortmaster butts 29, and eight steps numbered at 30 to 37.inclusive, for pattern control of the needles. Certain of the jacks have an intermediate square butt 39. The cylinder rotates with relation to a relatively stationary cam block assembly having a group of needle jack operating cams disposed at a relatively low level for moving the jacks to engage with and raise the needles to a high yarn-taking position and thereafter for returning the jacks to their low inoperative position, and a group of needle actuating cams disposed at a relatively high level to act against the needle butts, including the usual needle stitch and levelling cams. Of this assembly the jack raise cam bracket is indicated at 38 in Fig. 6.

The machine is also provided with a series of individually movable web holding sinkers, indicatedat 39 in Fig. 5, which are supported for movement horizontally between the needles in a sinker ring 40. Inasmuch as the sinker assembly, including the sinkers and supporting and" actuating devices therefor, is; well known in the art and forms specifically no part of the present invention, no further'illustration or description thereof is believed necessary.

Yarns are fed to the needles by means of yarn feeding devices which in general may be of ordinary description, including a yarn' feeding bracket 42 and a group of yarn carriers 44 pivotally supported thereon to be moved into and out of operative relation to the needle cylinder. As hereinafter more fully set forth, there is provided with the illustrated construction an additional pair of yarn carriers, indicated at 46 and 48, at a feeding station in advance of that normally employed for the purpose of feeding yarns of selected colors to selected needles of the series in accordance with a pattern. The two added yarn carriers 46 and 48, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and are pivotally supported on a bracket 49 to be moved forwardly into operating position, being normally held in a retracted position by means of springs. The two carriers are arranged to be moved alternatively to operative and inoperative positions, one being advanced while the other is retracted. The mechanism for shifting the positions of the carriers comprises a V-shaped cam 53 pivotally supported on the bracket 49 and arranged to ride against rearward extensions of the respective carriers. Movement of the V-shaped cam 53 to its position to the right as shown in Fig. 1 causes the follower portion of the carrier 48 to ride on to a high portion of the V-shaped cam to move said carrier to its operative position, while the follower portion of the carrier 46 rides onto a low portion of the cam 53 and is retracted. A rocking movement of the cam 53 to the left reverses the positions of the carriers. The cam 53 is connected by a link 54 to one of two connected levers 55, 56, the lever 56 being in turn connected by a link with one of the standard pattern controls of the machine. Inasmuch as the mechanism for controlling the several yarn carriers 44 at the main feeding station is well known and forms specifically no part of the invention, specific illustration and description is therefore omitted.

The illustrated machine is also provided with control devices for shifting the several needle jack and needle operating cams into and out of operative position, which include a pattern drum 50 for shifting selected pattern cams associated with the several steps of the needle jacks into and out of operation, and a control drum 52 which with the present construction is specifically constructed and arranged for the control of three jack selector cams as hereinafter described. The machine is further equipped with the usual master pattern control drum supporting shaft 57 extending transversely across a lower part of the machine. Inasmuch as the general construction arrangement of the machine, including the mechanisms for working the needle cylinder and imparting the usual steps advancing movements to the several pattern control drums and to the pattern shaft, is well known in the art, any further description of the machine drive and the mechanisms for imparting the usual steps advancing movements to the several operating drums has been omitted.

In accordance with the present invention, the knitting devices of the machine, including the needles and yarn carriers, are constructed and arranged to operate in a novel manner for the continuous feeding of a backing yarn to the needles, and in plating relation thereto, any one of a group of different colored face yarns which are adapted to be selectively knitted or to be carried as floats to the rear of the needles. The facing yarns are knitted one at a time in accordance with a selection which may be arbitrarily changed at any designated needle during the knitting of any course to produce a substantially infinite variety of patterns.

Further in accordance with the invention, the devices for controlling the operation of the yarn carriers and associated needles are constructed and arranged to particularly adapt the machine for the knitting of a so-called argyle pattern with large diamonds in which pattern changes take place in each of a substantial number of following courses. For the construction of the argyle pattern illustrated in Fig. 16 of the drawings, for example, a group of 18 successive pattern changes will be employed to knit the'expanding portion of one argyle diamond. This seriesof changes is being effected in accordance with the present invention on a machine in which the pattern changes available would normally be limited to the eight steps provided with the pattern jacks as illustrated.

More specifically in carrying out the invention, it is proposed to divide the needles arbitrarily during the knitting of each successive course into a selected and a non-selected group, in which the selected needles are moved in a yarn taking wave to knit a yarn presented thereto at one feeding station on the machine, and in which the re-' maining or non-selected group of needles are caused to move in a separate yarn taking wave to engage with a feeding yarn presented thereto at a second feeding station. All of the needles, including both the selected and non-selected groups, are then moved downwardly in a knitting wave during which a backing yarn is fed to all the needles in plating relation to the facing yarn.

With the construction and arrangement of the yarn carrier and needle actuating mechanisms shown, a change of color of the feeding yarn is effected in the first instance by the selection or non-selection of a particular needle to which the yarn is to be fed so that it forms part of the selected or non-selected needle yarn taking wave. While a change of the face yarn is in the first instance effected by the needle selection, it will be understood that different color changes may be effected by the substitution of one yarn carrier for another in feeding position at either of the two yarn feeding stations prior to the movement of needles to said station.

In accordance with the present invention a novel arrangement and mode of operation of the needle and needle jack operating cams is employed, first, in order to make a selection of needles which are to be directed to the first of the two yarn feeding stations in the knitting of each successive course, and secondly, in order to operatively engage the jacks associated with non-selected needles. to raise the non-selected jacks and associated needles to engage yarn at the second feeding station without in any way affecting the operation of the needles and needle actuating jacks of the previously selected group.

The construction and arrangement of the operating needle and needle jack actuating cams will be particularly described in' connection with the developed view, Fig. 11 of the drawings. As will be evident from an inspection of this figure the needles 22 are normally idled in an intermediate low position, and the needle jacks 24 are idled in an extreme low position out of engagement with the needles. Assuming that the needles and jacks supported in the needle cylinder are moving from the right to the left through the relatively stationary cam assembly of Fig. 11, from the starting position shown at the right hand side of Fig. 11, the master butt 28 of each succeeding jack is engaged and raised by a needle support cam 60 which moves the jack upwardly to an operative position in which any one of the steps 3037 is in position to be engaged by corresponding jack selector cam 62-69 inclusive. The jacks are thus raised to a position in which the master butt 28 will engage with a jack raise cam 70 to engage and advance the associated needle to its high yarn taking position at the first yarn taking station, at which are located the two yarn carriers 46, 48, see Fig. 11. The selected jacks 24 which have been raised with the needles to yarn taking position by jack raise cam 79am immediately returned to their low position by engagement of the master butt 28 with a downwardly sloping. jack return cam 72. The. needles which have been moving to their high yarn taking position at the yarn feeding station A are subsequently moved downwardly a short distance by the engagement of their butts 26 with the needle cam 74 so that these needles are caused to take an active feeding yarn at station A and are moved downwardly a sufficient distance to avoid interference with the operation of the non-selected needles, as hereinafter described, to take yarn at yarn feeding station B. The path followed by the selected jacks 24, as above outlined, is indicated by the dotted line 76 in Fig. 11.

The path which is followed by those jacks which have not been selected by the operation of some one of the selector cams 62-69 is indicated by the dotted line 78 in Fig. 11. These jacks will travel at the level to which they have been moved by the needle support cam until they engage with a non-selected jack down cam 89, whereupon they are returned to an extreme low position. It will be noted that the cam 80 takes effect substantially in advance of the selected jack down cam 72, so that the selected and non-selected jacks move downwardly some distance apart in parallel paths. A first selection of the jacks which will be raised to the yarn taking position at station A is thus provided as a result of the arrangement of the steps 30-37 formed on the individual jacks, and the operation of the selector cams 62--69.

In accordance with the invention, a number of novel devices are employed to increase the number of different selections of needles which may be made for the knitting of successive courses in excess of the eight pattern steps provided by the needle jacks 24. One means by which a substantial number of additional widening steps isproduced consists in the provision of a separate operating control for the uppermost jack pattern cam 62, by means of which the cam 62 can be moved into operation after the first seven widening steps in the formation of the argyle pattern have taken place to engage with butts at the selector cam 62 level to hold all of the needle jacks and associated needles selected in the previous seven courses in the selected group. The steps 31-37 inclusive and the associated pattern cams 63-69 are thus released to permit the insertion of additional needles in seven additional outward steps of the pattern.

The connections for controlling the in and out position of pattern cam 62, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 comprise a flexible wire 84 carried in a sheath 86 and connected at its left hand end to one arm of a bell crank lever 88 supported at 90 on the machine and having its other arm pivotally connected to an ear 92 on shank 94 of the cam 62. The flexible shaft 84 is secured at its right end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, to one arm ofa cam lever 96 pivoted intermediate its length on a vertical pivot pin 98 and at its other end having a follower surface arranged to engage with cam segments 100 on the control drum 52.

A further selection of the needle jacks and needles actuated thereby as between the selected and non-selected categories for knitting portions of the argyle pattern for successive courses is effected by a novel use of the socalled rejector cam 102 which acts when moved into operative position to engage with and divert into the nonselected category any needle jacks having a butt 39. The connections for controlling the in and out position of rejector cam 102, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, comprise a flexible wire 104, see Figs. 6 and 8, mounted within a sheath 106 and connected at its left hand or forward end with one arm of a bell crank 1118 supported to turn on a vertical pivot 110 and having the free arm thereof arranged to engage an abutment 112 came shank 114 of the rejector cam 102. A tension spring 116 connEcted atone end to the abutment 112 and at. the other end to a stationary pin 118 tends to maintain the cam in its most inward oradvanced operating position. The flexible shaft 104 is connected at its other end to one arm of cam lever 120 supported intermediate its length on the vertical pivot 98 and at its other end having a follower surface for engagement with cam segments on the drum 52.

A further selection of needle jacks and needles as between the selected and non-selected groups is effected by shifting the jack raise cam 70 between its projected position in which it will be engaged by both short and long master butts 28 of the needle jacks 24, and a partially withdrawn or intermediate position in which only those jacks having long master butts will be engaged. It will be understood that the jack raise cam 70 is also capable of being moved to a fully withdrawn inoperative position in which no jacks with their associated needles would be moved into the selected group.

The connections from the control drum 52 for controlling the in and out position of the jack raise cam 70 for the formation of the argyle pattern shown, see Fig. 6, comprise a flexible wire 122 which is mounted within a sheath 124 and is connected at its left hand end to a lever arm 126 supported to turn on a fixed pivot 128. The arm 126 engages against an adjustable stop screw 130 carried on an offset portion of the shank 132 of jack raise cam 70. A tension spring 134 connected between a pin on the cam shank 132 and a fixed point on the machine tends to move the jack raise cam 70 yieldably to its projected operating position. The flexible wire 122 is connected at its right hand end to one arm of a cam lever 136 supported to turn on the vertical pivot pin 98 and having at its opposite end a follower surface for engagement with cam segments on the control drum 52. The control drum 52 which controls the operation of the uppermost jack pattern cam 62, rejector cam 1G2, and the jack raise cam 70, as above described, is arranged to be indexed once every two courses only. Assuming that the control drum has 36 moves and that the total number of courses in the pattern is 144, it is required to rotate the control drum only two revolutions to knit the pattern. Inasmuch as control drums such as that shown in 52, together with the operating devices therefor, are well known in the art, no specific illustration or description of the mechanism for imparting stepped rotational movement thereto is believed necessary.

. The pattern drum 50, together with the supporting and actuating connections for the drum by means of which the several needle jack pattern cams 63-69 are controlled, is well known in the art and will therefore be described in connection with the illustration of Figs. 1, 5, 8 and 9, only so far as believed necessary to illustrate the connection of the invention therewith. The drum 50 is supported on a horizontally disposed frame member 140 pivoted to turn about a fixed pivot 142 on the machine. The plate 140 and drum 50 are adapted to be moved from an inoperative to an operative position in which the cams on the drum are brought into engagement with cam follower surfaces on the shank portions of the respective pattern cams 63*69, inclusive by means of connections which include a rocker shaft 144 (see Figs. 1 and 4) and an upwardly extending arm 146 which engages behind the plate 140 at its outer end. A rearwardly extending arm 148 secured to the rocker shaft 144 is connected by a downwardly extending link 150 with a cam lever 152 adapted to be engaged by a cam on pattern drum 154 on shaft 57. A spring 155 connected between the plate 140 and the machine frame tends to swing the plate 140 and pattern drum 5t] rearwardly to its operating position.

The pattern drum 50 is set up to make 24 single and l2 double moves, making a total of 36 moves. Since there are 144 courses in the pattern and the pattern drum moves once in every course, four complete revolutions of the drum are required to make this pattern. The drum is also constructed and arranged to be shifted axially to 7 move the several follower portions of the jack pattern cams in order to double the number of moves which are available before the pattern repeats itself. A stepped rotational movement is imparted to the pattern drum 50 by means of connections which may be of ordinary description, including an actuating pawl 156 and a lock pawl 158 which are adapted for engagement with a ratchet 160 forming the lower part of the drum. Inasmuch as the mechanism for rotating and for shifting the pattern.

drum 50 are well known in the art, no further illustration or description thereof is believed necessary.

A feature of the invention consists in the provision of means whereby each succeeding needle jack which is placed in the non-selected group, and which is therefore moved downwardly by the engagement of its master butt 28 or 29 with the non-selected jack down cam 80, is immediately thereafter engaged and raised to form a second yarn taking wave to cooperate with the yarn carriers at the second or main feeding station.

Specifically, in accordance with the invention, a novel non-selected jack activating cam 162 is provided which acts to engage and raise the non-selected jacks from the idling position to which they are returned by the nonselected jack down cam 80 without, however, engaging or interfering in any way with the selected jacks which are returned downwardly to the idling level by means of the regular jack down cam 72, as best shown in Figs. 8, l and 11. The special non-selected jack activating cam 162 is formed with a rise surface which at its starting end is located to engage against the lower end portion of the non-selected jacks guided downwardly by the cam 80. It is noted that the lower end of each jack is notched at 164 and is adapted to engage against a correspondingly shaped grooved surface of the activating cam 162. The rise portion of the cam 162 is now curved radially outwardly from the surface of the needle cylinder suificiently so that it will with certainty clear the lower ends of the selected jacks being moved downwardly by the regular jack down cam 72. The notched lower ends of the jacks and the corresponding grooved surface of the activating cam 162 cooperate to cause each non-selected jack to be moved outwardly from the needle cylinder following the contour of the rise surface of the activating earn 162. The non-selected jacks are thus raised so that their master butts are engaged with a special jack raise cam 168, causing the non-selected jacks and associated needles to be moved upwardly to the high yarn taking position at the second feed station as indicated in Fig. 11. The non-selected jacks are finally returned to the idling position by engagement with a jack down cam 170, while needles are started downwardly in a yarn taking wave by means of the needle down cam 172. To complete the operation, all of the needles are thereafter moved downwardly in a knitting wave while at the same time the backing yarn is fed thereto by means of the usual needle stitch cam 174.

The non-selected jack activating cam 162 is supported to swing vertically on a pivot 176 between a low inoperative position, as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 11 to the full line operative position in which the cam is maintained during the knitting of the argyle leg pattern.

The mechanism by which the non-selected jack activating cam 162 is moved between its low inoperative and raised operative positions, as shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 10, comprises a bell crank 178 supported to turn on a stationary pivot 180 and having one arm thereof notched to receive an offset lug 182 formed in a backing piece 184 for the cam 162. An upwardly extending arm of the bell crank 178 is connected by a link 136 with an arm not shown attached to a rock shaft 188, which is in turn connected by an arm 190 and downwardly extending link 192 (see Fig. 1) with a cam lever arranged to be acted upon by cam segments on the cam drum 154.

During the formation of the argyle pattern, the inactive needle stitch cam, indicated in dotted lines at 194 ill 8- in Fig. 11, is maintained in the inactive position by means of a specially added control which consists of a connection with an arm on a rearwardly extending rock shaft 204 (see Fig. 5), having an upwardly extended arm 206 adapted to be engaged by a rearwardly extending lever 208. As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the lever 208 is supported on a stud 210 and is connected by a link 212 with one arm of a bell crank 214, which is in turn connected by a link 216 with one arm of a pattern lever 218 .pivoted at 220 on the machine and at its forward end formed with a cam follower surface for engagement with a cam on a pattern drum 222 on the pattern shaft 57.

The non-selected jack raise cam 168 is constructed and arranged to be moved into operative position during the construction of the argyle pattern and thereafter to be retracted out of operation. The supporting and actuating parts for the non-selected jack raise earn 168, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, consist of a shank portion 196 which extends outwardly through a slotted portion of the cam block and is connected by a link 198 at its outer end with a bell crank 200, which is in turn connected by a flexible wire 202 adapted to be operated by one of the usual yarn carrier operating controls of the machine.

The operation of the machine to knit the leg portion of a stocking in which a suitable backing yarn is knitted throughout the entire area and in which a plurality of facing yarns supplied at two yarn feeding stations are selectively fed to designated needles in order to produce the argyle pattern of Fig. 16, will be specifically described with reference to the developed view, Fig. 11, of the needle cylinder including the needle and needle jack and operating cams, taken in connection with the developed view, Fig. 12 of the pattern drum 50, the similar view Fig. 13 of the drum 52, and the arrangement set forth in Figs. 14 and 15 of the needle jack pattern butts.

As shown in Fig. 11, the two carriers 46 and 48 at the yarn feeding station designated at A are alternately available for feeding respectively a black yarn 228 and a blue yarn 229 to a yarn taking wave of selected needles. At the second or regular yarn feeding station designated at B, either of two selected yarns 230 and 232, feeding respectively green and red yarns, are alternately available for feeding yarn to the second yarn taking wave of non-selected needles. Still further to the left, as shown in Fig. 11, a carrier 234 is shown in operation feeding a backing yarn 236 to the needles as they are cammed downwardly to the low knockover position in a stitchforming wave. It will be understood that the backing yarn carrier 234 is continuously in operation and that one or another of the face yarns 228 to 232 inclusive is fed to each successive needle in plating relation to the backing yarn 236 so that a plated fabric continuously knitted with two yarns is produced. A change in color of the feeding yarn at any particular location in the needle series is effected by controlling the selection of needles as between the selected and non-selected groups,

a needle which is to knit a yarn of one color being selected to form part of the yarn taking wave at station A, and a needle which is to take a yarn of another color being relegated to the non-selected group and forming part of the yarn taking wave at feeding station B. Further variations in color pattern are produced by the substitution of one yarn feeding carrier for another at each of the feeding stations, this change being effected at a moment in the knitting cycle when no needle is being brought to yarn taking position at the particular yarn taking station.

The manner in which the needle operating jacks and associated needles are controlled to effect the selection of needles as between the selected and non-selected needles for each succeeding course for the construction of the argyle pattern of Fig. 16 is specifically as follows:

For the first course of the leg pattern, the jack raise cam 70 is retracted and out of operation. Referring specifically to the developed'viewof the control drum, it will be noted that a full length cam segment is arranged in the first course in the path of the follower lever 136 (Figs. 1 and 13), causing the jack raise cam 70 to be moved to its fully inoperative position. For the knittingof the first course not one of the selector cams 63-69 is in operation since, as shown in the diagrammatic chart Figs. 14 and 15, no cam segments are-encountered by the respective pattern jack cams in the knitting of the first course. The jack selector cam 62 controlled from the control drum 52 is out of operation for the knitting of the first course, being held out by the location of a cam segment in the path of the follower lever 96 by means of which the selector cam 62 is operated (see Fig. 13). Assuming that the green yarn 230' is in action, we now have the first course as it appears in the pattern layout of Figs. 14 and 15 and in thepattern Fig; 16. All-of the needle jacks for the knitting of this course are raised by' the needle support cam 60, as indicated by the bottom dotted line 78 in Fig. 11, until they are again moved downwardly by the special non selected jack down cam 80 where they are engaged by the non-selected jack activating cam 162 and raised suificiently so that the master butts 28, 29 are engaged by the non-selected jack raise cam 168 to move all of the needles to the yarn taking position at yarnfeeding station B. Inthis manner the entire course is knitted with green yarn. During the knitting of the first course, the rejector cam 102 is in operative position but does not, in the knitting of this course, engage any of the jack butts. Referring specifically to the diagram. Fig. 13 it will be noted that no. cam segment is provided in the path of the cam lever 120 which would operate to retract the rejector earn. 102.

For the knitting of the second course, the pattern jackselector cam 64 has been moved into operative position as will be evident from an. inspection of Fig. 12, a. cam segment being shown in' the path of thepatternjack cam 64. The selected jack raise cam 70 has been moved inwardly to its intermediate position, being, controlled by the location of a short cam segment in the path of the follower lever 136 (see Fig, 13). The rejector cam 102 is in operation as shown in Fig. 13, and selector cam 62 is still withdrawn as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 13. Referring specifically to the chart, Figs. 14 and 15 in which each vertical division designates one needle jack of the series, and the horizontal divisions locate the positions of the several butts and pattern steps on the individual jacks, the arrangement is such'that any jack with a butt at the selector cam 64 level of Figs. 14 and 15 will be engaged and raised to the proper height to engage the jack raise cam '70. In this manner nine needles in the middle of each of the long butt and short butt needle series will be raised.

The jacks in the needle jack groups numbered 14-26 and 13-25 in Figs. 14 and 15 which have butts at the selector cam 64 level will be raised by the selector cam 64' and are then lowered by engagement of the rejector cam 10.2 with butts 39. The jacks in the needle jack groups numbered 14-0-13 having butts at the selector cam 64 level will be raised by the selector cam 64, but will not bev engaged by the selector jack raise cam 70, which in its intermediate position does not engage the short master butts 29 with which these needle jacks are equipped. The 18 selected needle jacks and associated needles from. the needle groups numbered 26-46 in Figs. 14 and 15, in this second course, will be raised to form a yarn taking wave at the yarn feeding station A, and will knit the blue. yarn 229.

In succeeding courses 3 to 13,. inclusive, a widening design. is knitted to conform with the jack. and pattern drum set-up. It will be noted from an inspection of the pattern, of Fig. 16, and as indicated by the, position of the. selector jack actuated cam segments in Fig..12 that the diamond pattern is formed with an. irregularly formed edge. For example cam 64 introducing eighteen needles is employed for the knitting. of the second course, sol'ector cam 63' by means of which ten needles are selected is employed for the knitting of the third'course, and selector cam 65 selecting 26 needles is employed for the knitting of the fourth course. For the knitting of the first 13 courses no change of action takes place on the control drum 52. In courses 14-25, inclusive, as shown in Fig. 13, rejector cam 102 is shifted out of action so that any needles in the areas numbered 14-26 in each of Figs. 14 and 15 having butts 39 which have been returned to the non-selected group as above noted by the operation of rejector cam 102, are now permitted to come into operation thus allowing a further widening of the pattern. Selector cam 69 (see Fig. 12) now stays in operation in order to retainin the selected group those jacks associated. with needles knitting-the central portion of the blue diamonds.

For the knitting. of courses 27-45, inclusive, jack raise cam 70 is now fully projected and will therefore engageany selected jacks having the short master butt 29 to form a further widening of the pattern. Selector cam 63 remains in along with jack selector cam 69 to maintain in operation those needles forming. the central portion of the diamond.

At course 47 as indicated selector cam 62 goes into operation thus engaging all but. four jacks including two No. 1 and two- No. 3 needle jacks shown in Figs. 14 and 15. This is the widest point in the formation of the blue diamond knitted with yarn 229, upon the selected needles. The action of cam 62 is needed to hold the jacks in action:

while the pattern drum 50 is moved up and then back in to engage the selector cams with the cam segments located in the lower half of. the pattern drum 50, as shown in Fig. 12. The knitting of the second or narrowing half of the green diamond continues, while at the same time a red diamond indicated at 232 in Fig. 16 is formed. by the use of the red yarn 232 which is fed to non-selected needles at the second yarn feeding station B. Features of the invention relating to a needle jack have been. made the subject matter of a divisional application Serial No. 771,012 filed October 31, 1958 for Jack.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1s:

1. In a circular knitting machine, apparatus for .producing knitted fabric comprising means for knitting a backing yarn continuously and a face yarn in plating. re lation thereto, means for feeding said backing yarn in one location and each of a plurality of said face yarns in difierent locations, said circular knitting machine having a circular independent needle series, needle selecting means operable to select and to raise selected needles in. a yarn taking wave at one of said plating yarn feeding locations, other non-selected needle activating and raising means operable to select and raise all non-selected needles in a second yarn taking wave at a second plating yarn feeding location, and means moving all of said needles in a knitting wave at said backing yarn feeding location whereby each needle loopis formed of said backing yarn and one of said' face yarns.

2. In a circular knitting machine, apparatus for producing knitted fabric comprising means for knitting a backing yarn continuously and a face yarn in plating relation thereto, means for feeding said backing yarn in one location and each of a plurality of said face yarns in different locations, said circular knitting machine having a. circularindependent needle series, needle selecting means' operable to select and to raise selected needles in a yarn taking wave at one'of said plating yarn feeding locations, other non-selected needle activating and'raising means operable to select and raise all non-selected needles in. a second yarn taking wave at a second plating yarn feeding location, means moving all of said needles in a knitting wave at said backing yarn feeding location, and pattern means for controlling the selection of needles in each-course of knitting to continuously knit upon each successive needle said backing yarn and a single face yarn selected from any one of said locations to form said pattern.

3. A circular knitting machine according to claim 2 in which said pattern means comprises needle jacks, each needle jack having provision for a plurality of steps, a rejector butt, and alternatively long and short master butts, jack selector cams shiftable between inoperative and operative positions to engage with steps for raising selected needle jacks to a selected level, a pattern drum having cam segments for shifting said jack selector cams, a rejector cam shiftable between an inoperative and an operative position for lowering any selected needle jack having a rejector butt to a non-selected needle jack level, and pattern means for shifting said rejector earn.

4. A circular knitting machine according to claim 2 in which said pattern means comprises needle jacks, each needle jack having provision for a plurality of steps, a rejector butt, and alternatively long and short master butts, jack selector cams shiftable between an inoperative and an operative position to engage with steps for raising the selected needle jacks to a selected level, a pattern drum having cam segments for shifting said jack selector earns, a rejector cam shiftable between an inoperative and an operative position for lowering any selected needle jack having a rejector butt to a non-selected needle jack level, a selected needle jack raise cam shiftable between a high master butt only and a high and low master butt engaging position, pattern means for controlling each of said rejector cam and selected needle jack raise cam, and non-selected needle jack down cam acting against said master butts for lowering all of the needle jacks not selected by said selector cams, rejected by said rejector cam, and not raised by said selected jack raise earn.

5. A circular knitting machine according to claim 2 in which said pattern means comprises needle jacks, each needle jack having provision for a plurality of steps, a pattern selector step, a rejector butt, and alternatively long and short master butts, jack selector cams shiftable between inoperative and operative positions, a pattern drum having cam segments for shifting said jack selector cams, a separately operable selector cam for said pattern selector step, a rejector cam shiftable between an inoperative and an operative position, a selected needle jack raise cam shiftable between a high master butt only and a high and low master butt engaging position, and a control drum having cam segments and connections therefrom for controlling each of said selected needle jack raise cam, said rejector cam, and said pattern selector step cam.

6. A circular knitting machine in accordance with claim 2 in which pattern mechanism adapted for the knitting of a large diamond pattern is provided which comprises a series of needle jacks each having provision for a series of steps, a master butt, and a rejector butt, selector cams associated with said steps shiftable into and out of operation, a rejector cam shiftable into and out of operation, and pattern means for controlling said cams, said steps and pattern means being constructed and arranged to produce a series of successively widened diamond courses with needle jacks not having rejector butts while the rejector cam is in operation, said steps and pattern means being further constructed and arranged to produce an additional series of successively widened diamond courses with needle jacks having rejector butts with the rejector cam inoperative.

7. A circular knitting machine in accordance with claim 2 in which pattern mechanism adapted for the knitting of a large diamond pattern is provided which comprises a series of needle jacks having provision for a series of steps, a rejector butt, and alternatively long and short master butts, selector cams associated with said steps shiftable into and out of operation, a rejector cam shiftable into and out of operation, a needle jack raise cam having short master butt and long master butt only engaging positions, and pattern means controlling said cams, the steps, butts and cam means being constructed and arranged to produce with said steps a series of successively widened diamond courses with the rejector cam operating and the raise cam in long master butt only engaging position, an additional series of successively widened diamond courses with the rejector cam inoperative, and an added series of successively widened diamond courses with the rejector cam inoperative, and the raise cam in short master butt engaging position.

8. A circular knitting machine in accordance with claim 2 in which pattern mechanism adapted for the knitting of a large diamond pattern is provided which comprises a series of needle jacks having provision for a series of steps, a pattern selector butt, a rejector butt, and alternatively long and short master butts, selector cams associated with said steps shiftable into and out of step engaging position, a pattern selector cam shiftable into and out of butt engaging position, a rejector cam shiftable into and out of butt engaging position, a needle jack raise cam having short master butt and long master butt only engaging positions, a pattern drum having two series of cam segments controlling said selector cams, means for shifting said drum to render said two series successively operative, a control drum having cam segments for controlling each of said pattern selector cam, rejector cam and raise cam, the steps, butts and cam segments being constructed and arranged to produce with said steps a series of successively widened diamond courses with the rejector cam operating and the raise cam in long master butt only engaging position, an added series of successively widened diamond courses with the 7 rejector cam inoperative, and an added series of successively widened diamond courses with the rejector cam inoperative and the raise cam in short master butt engaging position, a course produced with said pattern selector cam in operation, and thereafter series of successively narrowed diamond courses.

9. A circular knitting machine in accordance with claim 2 in which pattern mechanism adapted for the knitting of a variable color pattern fabric is provided which comprises a series of needle jacks each having provision for a series of steps, a rejector butt, and alternatively long and short master butts, selector cams associated with said steps shiftable into and out of step engaging position, a rejector cam shiftable into and out of butt engaging position, a needle jack raise cam having short master butt and long master butt only engaging positions, a pattern drum having cam segments controlling said selector cams, pattern means having cam segments controlling said rejector cam and jack raise cam, said steps, butts, and cam segments being constructed and arranged to produce with said steps a series of courses having different selections of needles as between the selected and non-selected groups with the rejector cam operating and the raise cam in long master butt only engaging position, an added series of courses having further variations as between the selected and non-selected needle groups with the rejector cam inoperative and with the jack raise cam in long master butt only engaging position, and a further series of courses having further variations as between the selected and non-selected needle groups with the rejector cam inoperative and with the jack raise cam in short master butt engaging position.

10. In a circular knitting machine the combination with means for feeding a backing yarn and each of a plurality of facing yarns in different locations of a needle cylnder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder having needle butts, a series of needle actuating jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder having provision for a plurality of steps, a rejector butt, and alternatively longand short master butts, needle actuating cams including needle leveling and stitch cams,

supported adjacent said cylinder, needle jack actuating cams including jack selector cams shiftable between operative and inoperative positions to engage said steps for raisingselected needle jacksto a selected level, a rejector cam shiftable between an operative andinoperative position for lowering any selected needle jack having a rejector butt to a non-selected needle jack level, a selected needle jack raise cam shiftable between a high master butt only and high and low master butt engaging position for raising selected jacks and associated needles in one face yarn feeding location, a non-selected needle jack down cam acting against the master butts of any jacks not raised by said selected jack raise cam, a selected jack down cam for lowering the selected jacks by a different path from said non-selected jack down cam, a non-selected jack activating cam adapted to engage only the needle jacks lowered by said non-selected jack down cam, a non-selected jack raise cam for raising said activated non-selected needle jacks in a second face yarn feeding location, and means for controlling said cams for the knitting of a pattern.

11. In a circular knitting machine, apparatus for producing knitted fabric comprising means for knitting a backing yarn continuously and a facing yarn in plating relation thereto, means for feeding said backing yarn in one location and each of a plurality of said face yarns in different locations, said circular knitting machine having a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder having needle butts, a series of needle jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, needle actuating cams arranged to form a yarn taking needle wave at each of said locations, and to form a stitch-forming wave for all of said needles, needle jack actuating cams including cams for selecting and for raising selected needle jacks and needles associated therewith to form said yarn taking wave at one of said locations, cam means for lowering the selected and non-selected needle jacks by separate paths, a non-selected needle jack activating cam for engaging only the lowered non-selected needle jacks, and cam means for raising said activated non-selected needle jacks and associated needles to form a second needle yarn taking wave at a second location, and cam means for lowering said activated and raised non-selected needle jacks.

12. In a circular knitting machine, apparatus for producing knitted fabric comprising means for knitting a backing yarn continuously and a facing yarn in plating relation thereto, means for feeding said backing yarn in one location and each of a plurality of said face yarns in different locations, said circular knitting machine having a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder having needle butts, a series of needle jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, needle actuating cams arranged to form a yarn taking needle wave at each of said locations, and to form a stitch-forming wave for all of said needles, needle jack actuating cams including cams for selecting and for raising selected needle jacks and needles associated therewith to form said yarn taking wave at one of said locations, cam means for lowering the selected and non-selected needle jacks by separate paths, a non-selected needle jack activating cam for engaging only the lowered non-selected needle jacks, and cam means for raising said activated non-selected needle jacks and associated needles to form a second needle yarn taking wave at a second location, and means for controlling the selection of needle jacks and associated needles in each successive course in accordance with a pattern.

13. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder, a series of needle actuating and selector jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, needle actuating cams including needle leveling and stitch cams supported adjacent said cylinder, jack actuating cams supported adjacent the needle cylinder including a jack selector cam operable to raise selected jacks to an active position, a jack raise cam for raising selected jacks from said active position, and associated needles therewith to knit, a non-selected jack lowering cam, a selected jack lowering cam spaced about the selected by said non-selected jack activating cam and the associated needles to knit.

14. In a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder, a series of needle jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, selector cams for raising selected jacks and needles associated therewith to knit, separate needle jack down cams for lowering selected and non-selected jacks to a low position along separate paths, and a non-selected jack activating cam having a portion thereof disposed and arranged for engagement with a portion of each non-selected jack and a rise portion thereof curved outwardly from the needle cylinder away from the path of said returning selected jacks.

15. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder, a series of needle actuating jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, jack actuating cams operable to select and to raise selected jacks and associated needles to knit and further operable to lower the non-selected jacks along one path and, thereafter to lower the selected jacks along a separate path, and non-selected jack actuating cam means operable to actuate and to raise said non-selected jacks and associated needles to knit, including a non-selected jack activating cam having a non-selected jack engaging surface and a rise portion disposed outwardly of the downward path of said selected jacks.

16. In a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder, a series of needle jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder each having a jack outward displacement notch formed in the lower end thereof, a jack selector cam, a selected jack raise cam operable to raise selected jacks and the associated needles to knit, a selected jack down cam, a non-selected jack down cam, a non-selected jack activating cam having a grooved engaging surface to engage the notched lower end of each non-selected jack and a rise portion thereof curved outwardly from the needle cylinder away from the path of said selected jacks, and a non-selected jack raise cam for raising said non-selected jacks and associated needles to knit.

17. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder, a series of needle jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, and selecting means for said needles and jacks, the combination of a needle jack having the lower end thereof formed with transverse and lengthwise cam engaging surfaces, and a jack selector cam having transverse and longitudinal cam rise surfaces arranged for engagement respectively with said transverse and longitudinal surfaces of the jack, the rise portion of said cam being curved outwardly from the needle cylinder.

18. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable independent needles in the cylinder, a series of needle jacks mounted beneath the needles in the cylinder, and selecting means for said needles and jacks, the combination of a needlejack having the lower end thereof formed with a transversely formed rise cam engaging surface, and at the edge thereof outwardly of the needle cylinder, a downwardly ex- 2,3wane.-

tending cam engaging ledge, 511e,; jack activating cam having a grooved engaging surfaee to, engage said ledge Ma1pass May 1'1, 1887 16 Egan Oct. 31, 1922 Deans et al. Oct. 29, 1935 Grothey Dec. 24, 1940 Grothey Nov. 18,1941

Haddad July 25, 1950 

